CHAPTER II REVIEWS OF RELATED STUDIES AND CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK
A. Theoretical Review 1. Teaching English to Children
a. Children Characteristics
Young children differ from older learners in many ways. The children have their own characteristics that are different from adults. The characteristics
cover their ways of thinking, their attitude, their aptitude, etc. Harmer 2001:38 states that children at the age of nine or ten learn differently from adult older
children, adolescents, and adults. According to Philips 1996: 5, young learners means children from the first year of formal schooling five or six years old to
eleven or twelve years of age. Scott and Yterberg 1990:1 define young learners mean children from the first year of formal schooling, between five and ten or
eleven years of age. Characteristics of children depend on their ages in which plays an
important role on how they acquire the language. Elliot 1981:169 states that
children use their own opinions to interpret the meaning of something they see. They cannot realize that what they see and think cannot be accepted by other.
Scott and Yterberg 1988: 2-4, classifies young learners into two main groups:
1. Five to seven year olds beginning stage a. They can talk about what they are doing.
b. They can tell someone about what they have done. c. They can plan activities.
d. They can use logical reasoning. e. They can understand direct human interaction.
2. Eight to ten year olds, They have general characteristics, such as: a. They can tell the difference between fact and fiction.
b. They ask questions all the time. c. They rely on the spoken word.
Eight to ten year olds are competent to use their mother tongue. Such as: a. They can understand abstract.
b. They can understand symbol beginning with words c. They can generalize and systematize.
They also state “ Young children love to play and learn best when they are enjoying themselves, but they also take themselves seriously and like to think that
what they are doing is real work” Scott and Yterberg, 1998: 2.While, Petersen and Hayden 1961: 44, said that each student is different. Each child attends to
school with different experience, attitude, and value, intellectual, social, and emotional maturity.
From those statements above, the researcher concludes that young learners are students whose ages are five or six years old to eleven or twelve years old and
they love to play and practice what they learn in real activities. Therefore, to give the best quality of teaching English to the children, the teachers should know and
understand them. Phillips states that in learning a language, young learners respond to the
language, depending on what it does or what they can do with it rather than treating it as an intellectual game or abstract system 1995: 7. Brewster 1997: 6
supports it by saying that theories of the children’s learning require that young learners be supported by moving from the abstract to the concrete and through
being involved in activity. It can be understood that the children need activities that are more concrete rather than abstract and to be involved in those activities in
order that they can learn the language well. Brown 2001: 88 states that the other different between children and adult
are: a.
They have short attention span. Therefore, teachers should vary their techniques to break the boredom. They should give varied activities as
handwriting, songs, games etc. b.
They are very active. Teachers can try to ask them to play games, role-play dialogues, and involve them in competitions.
c. They respond well to praising. Always encourage them and praise their work.
d. They differ in their experience of language. Treat them as a unit, dont favor
those who know some English at the expense of those who do not know. e.
They are less shy than older learners. Ask them to repeat utterances, resort to mechanical drills.
f. They are imaginative. Use pictures to teach new vocabulary related to
concrete meanings, but may have some difficulties distinguishing between imagination and real world.
g. They enjoy learning through playing. Young learners learn best when they
learn through games. Let games be an essential part of your teaching. h.
They are less shy than older learners. i.
They enjoy imitating and skillful in listening accurately and mimicking what they have heard.
j. They respond well to rewards from the teacher.
k. They have limited writing and reading skills even in their first language.
l. Generally, they are more concerned about themselves then others.
m. They have limited knowledge about the world. n.
They enjoy fantasy, imagination, and movement. While, Brumfit 1997: v gives a list of the characteristics which young
learners share: a. Young learners are only just beginning their schooling.
b. As a group they are potentially more differentiated than secondary or adult learners.
c. They tend to be keen and enthusiastic learners.
d. Their learning can be closely linked with their development of ideas and concepts.
e. They need physical movement and activity as much as stimulation for their thinking.
b. Principles of Teaching English to Children
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